U.S. military

I have been cleaning the parts of my self-cleaning oven that do not get self-cleaned in preparation for the Jewish spring holiday of Pesach (Passover). And, while this is not a very fun activity on a day off from work, I did realize that I am immensely grateful for the freedom in the United States to be able to celebrate Pesach openly without fear of government reprisals.

And this thought led me to being grateful for our U.S. military men and women who protect this freedom from attack by other nations. The reason our troops were uppermost in my mind?

As a fan of the TV drama series “Downton Abbey” I had just finished reading the two nonfiction books by the Countess of Carnarvon — LADY ALMINA AND THE REAL DOWNTON ABBEY: THE LOST LEGACY OF HIGHCLERE CASTLE and LADY CATHERINE, THE EARL, AND THE REAL DOWNTON ABBEY. Lady Almina’s time covers the First World War and Lady Catherine’s time covers the Second World War — the descriptions of the horrors of both wars are not spared by the author.

And, as I scrubbed my oven, I thought about what the world would be like today if Nazi Germany had won WWII. I wondered whether, even in the U.S. now, would there be Jews free to celebrate the holiday of Pesach.

As Pesach is a holiday that celebrates the Jews’ freedom from bondage in Egypt, it is definitely an appropriate time to give thanks to the active duty men and women protecting our freedoms in the U.S. It is equally important to say thanks to the veterans who have previously served.
P.S. If you would like to know about the holiday of Pesach, click here to read this chapter from my Jewish holiday book SEASONS FOR CELEBRATION.

Buyers in Australia get more remedies per person than any other country. The variety of medications marketed by companies is no doubt a contributing matter to prescription medicament abuse epidemic. At present more than half of men aged over 50 reported some degree of erectile difficulties. Have a question about Cialis and levitra 10 mg? Let’s find answers to most pop questions about side effects of Cialis. While ED is more common among older men, that doesn’t make it ‘normal’. Most likely every man knows about levitra 10mg. Other question we are going to is levitra 20mg. Orgasm troubles can usually indicate problems elsewhere. If you would like advice about Cialis, one of pharmacists will make accessible medicines that are suitable for you to take. You will then be able to buy the medicine.

Innovative Solutions for HEALING OUR HEROES

Below is a Los Angeles-based reality TV show proposal I’m working on that could help our U.S. military vets and their families. If you know of anyone who could help move this project forward, please share this post with them.
Update: The title of the show is now HEALING OUR HEROES.

Overview:

The thousands of U.S. military men and women veterans returning from Iraq and Afghanistan to civilian life bring with them a host of problems — problems already affecting previous veteran populations such as those from the Vietnam War — and these problems spill over into the rest of the U.S. population.

These problems include:

Drug use

Violence

PTSD

Spousal abuse

Homelessness

High suicide rate

With VA hospitals and other government programs unable to address all these issues, innovative solutions by others are being developed. Los Angeles is fortunate to be at the center of some of the most innovative solutions.

In addition to showcasing these innovative solutions, the reality series will focus on the men and women veterans and their families who are getting help through these innovative solutions — as well as those who have not yet been helped.

The reality show’s goal — in addition to showcasing these innovative solutions, the veterans and their families — is to encourage others to participate in finding ways to help our heroes.

Format of show:

Each week the host visits the site of one innovative solution, showcasing brief interviews with the creators of the solution and then interviews and clips of the veterans being helped.

For example, in the LA County Veterans Court episode, we would talk briefly to the judge, interspersed with scenes from the courtroom, and then interview and visit in their daily lives the vets (and their families) being given this second chance.

Host of show:

The host of the show can be decided on from a pool of celebrities such as Gary Sinise (who actively works on behalf of veterans) or others involved in helping our heroes. Or the host could be a representative of a company that wants to sponsor the show.
Sample episodes:

A Former Vet Sits in Judgment at Veterans Court

Veteran and Superior Court Judge Michael Tynan heads the LA County Veterans Court and is already on board this project. He runs a tight shop in the innovative collaborative justice model of the Veterans Court (for example, he requires veterans to write essays about why they are messing up) and his courtroom is at odds with the usual American adversarial justice system.

Local Doctor Hired by LA VA Hospital to Help with Homeless Vets

A UCLA medical doctor has been hired by the VA Hospital in LA to help assess what can be done with the huge population of homeless vets in Los Angeles. Many people in the LA community wonder what the VA Hospital is doing with its huge tract of land in West LA. Why can’t housing be provided the vets on that land?

National Food Organization Starts Food Program for Vets and Their Families

MAZON’s Help Our Heroes initiative addresses challenges that military personnel and veterans face in feeding themselves and their families, including their ability to access federal nutrition assistance programs.

LA County Bar Association Uses Local Lawyers to Help Vets in Hot Water

The LA County Bar Association recently approved the Armed Forces Committee, which works to help veterans with their legal programs, including child custody issues.

“UCLA Operation Mend is a groundbreaking program that provides returning military personnel with severe facial and other medical injuries access to the nation’s top plastic and reconstructive surgeons, as well as comprehensive medical and mental-health support for the wounded and their families.”

Saddles for Soldiers

“Implement an expansive therapeutic equine program using horses to facilitate healing, learning and growth.”

Stellate ganglion blocks for PTSD

As reported in the June 12, 2017, Wall Street Journal article “Can a Single Injection Conquer PTSD? The Army Wants to Find Out” by Michael M. Phillips, the Department of Veterans Affairs “is conducting a small research project on the injections at its medical center in Long Beach.”

Another of the film’s producers, public relations executive Regina Kulik Scully, stepped forward with a half-million dollars (in addition to her contribution to the production) to pilot The Artemis Rising Invisible War Recovery Program, a two-week residential treatment program at The Bridge to Recovery in Santa Barbara.

The pilot program began Feb. 3 with five of the women from the film. In addition to offering intensive individual and group therapy along with equine therapy, yoga and dance, a researcher from Stanford has attended the retreat to gather data for a scientific study, hoping to quantify the program’s results.

If effective, Ziering and Scully suggest it could become a prototype for the VA, a model for future treatment. “Right now, the one-stop shop is pharmaceuticals,” Ziering said.

This too could be an episode of the reality TV series HEALING OUR HEROES.